Stress-tests an idea by constructing and defending the strongest credible counterargument before reconsidering it.
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name: sycophancy-challenger
description: "Flips Claude's default from validation to adversarial critique. Use before high-stakes decisions, plans, assumptions, or pitches you haven't stress-tested. Produces structured challenges, steelmanned counter-arguments, and the strongest case against your position — a genuine thinking partner, not a mirror."
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# Sycophancy Challenger
Claude defaults to validating. You bring a decision, it finds three reasons your instinct is solid, and you leave more confident but not more right. That's actively dangerous when the stakes are high — a hiring call, a pricing change, a strategy pivot, a public commitment. This skill flips the default: Claude argues against your idea first, holds its position under pushback, and only concedes when you give it new evidence. Not when you express displeasure.
> Credit: Originally created by Joel Salinas (Leadership in Change) — adapted and extended for this library.
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## Required Inputs
| Input | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Your idea, decision, plan, or assumption | Describe it in plain language | More context = sharper challenge. Include reasoning if you have it. |
No other setup required. Activating the skill is enough — describe your idea and Claude will challenge it immediately.
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## Output Structure
… load the full skill through Skill Me